Vapor burner



Ma 23, 1933. G L, HOGAN 1,910,163

VAPOR BURNER Filed Jan. 12, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l III.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 23, 1933. G. L. HOGAN VAPOR BURNER Filed Jan. 12, 1931 I he (1 MWE 6 a ll!!! VW VMJ VWM I y/////IIIIWI/ I May 23, 1933. HOGAN 1,910,163

VAPOR BURNER Filed Jail. 12, 1931 5 Sheets- Sheet 3 -i-J Z W I & 55 a9 7 6a ly orgaLfioga/z Patented May 23, 1933 UNITED STATES Pareia'r o Fi-cE GEORGE LEWIS HOG-AN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL STAMPING & ELECTRIC WORKS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS vnron, BURNER Application filed January 12; 1931. Serial No. 508,239;

My invention relates to improvements in lamps, torches, stoves, or lanterns wherein gasoline or other liquid hydrocarbon is vaporized and then burned at illuminating mantles. V 7

Liquid hydrocarbon fuel such as gasoline is extensively used for heating and lighting. A vaporizing generator communicating with a fuel tank is usually employed to change the fuel from the liquid phase to the vapor phase before it passes into the burner to be combusted. Originally the vaporizing generator was heated by a blow torch, an alcohol lamp, or by other means such as the use of a priming panxbeneat-h the generator into which raw gasoline was poured and then ignited so that itsflame would heat the generator. All of the methods have proved exceedingly inconvenient as well as wasteful in pie-heating the vaporizing generator which, of course, is later maintained at the proper temperature by the heat of combustion. The

fuel tank usually contains liquid under pressure so there is an air space above the liquid. The air in the space becomes highly impregnated with the more Volatile constituents of the fuel and makes a very good fuel in the gaseous state. Realizing this, many attempts have been made to utilize this vapor as a means of initially heating the vaporizing generator. These attempts have been more or less unsuccessful, due to the fact that several valves have been required and'operation of the burner by the ordinary housewife has not been wholly satisfactory.

My invention contemplates the provision of an improved valve structure wherein ,a single valve is utilized to shut off the air gas when the generator becomes hot enough to vaporize the liquid and to control the quantity of gas passing to the burners after the generator has been sufficiently heated.

One of the principal objects of my invention is the provision of improved vapor gen erating means in a device of this type.

A further object is the provision of improved vapor generating means which permit a variation of the air supply in a device of this type.

A further object is the provision of an improved doubleacting valve associated with the vapor generating means therein adapted to vary the mixture of air and fuel passing therethrough.

A further object is the provision of an improveddouble-acting valve for vapor burn ing lamps.

A further obj ectof the invention is the provision of an improved heatrefiector associat- I ed with the mantles.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a unitary removable unit comprising the gas generating chamber, mixing tube, and mantle supports generally.

A further object of the present invention is 6 the provision of improved handle means as.- sociated' with a lantern of this type;

My invention further lies in the combination of the improvements herein described whereby a highly efficient and durable lamp or lantern may be provided. 7

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent as the description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying draw ings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a lantern in which the improvements of my invention are incorporated; y

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the fuel passageways and valve means in a normal burning position;

Fig. 2a is a fragmentary vertical secs tional view of the valve mechanism of Fig. 2 in a closed position; i

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional view through my improved valve means,taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational View of the unitary mixing chamber assemblywith portions broken away in section to show other parts;

Fig. 5 isa vertical sectional view takenon the line 5- 5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to Fig, 2 showing a modified form of valve arrangement.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates a base font adapted to contain a quantity of gasoline or other, liquid hydrocarbon indicated'at 12 and above the fuel a quantity of compressed air 13. A combined pump and filling device 14 is removably secured to the base font 10 near its upper surface. This combined pump and filler 14 may be of the type illustrated and described in the application of Edwin A. Kohlhase, filed May 7 1930, and having Serial No. 450,371, and will not be further described in this application.

A collar 16 extends upwardly from the top of the base font 10 to engage a chimney frame 20 and base 18. The chimney 22 supported thereon may be of any desirable type formed with translucent side walls extending upwardly to an upper. chimney frame member 24. The upper and lower frame members may be rigidly secured together by brace rods 26, of which, as shown in the drawings, four are provided. A carrying bail or handle 25 is slidably secured to two oppositely disposed brace rods 26, being suitably attached thereto by means of loops 29 formed in the lower ends of handle 25. V The chimney, of course, isprovided with a sliding panel 28 which is raised to light themantles. The up per chimney frame member 24 supports a bell shaped housing 27 there-above to which is suitably secured a collar portion 29 extend ing upwardly. A bell shaped dome 30 is secured above the collar 29 to provide an upper enclosure for the lamp.

The improved valve mechanism of my invention is mounted in a housing member 32 which has one end screw-threaded to engage a tapped opening 34 in a collar 36, secured in the upper surface of the base fontlO by soldering or other suitable means. Housing .32 is provided at its upper end With a tapped opening 38 to support a coupler 40 which extends through a suitable opening 42 in the chimney frame base 18. Coupler 40 is screwthreaded and anut 44 mounted thereon securely fastens the chimney frame base in position on the lamp.

A combination casting 46 is provided with a lower end48 screw-threaded to engage in the tapped opening 50' in the coupler 40 and is supported thereby. The casting 46 is. arranged to serve both as a base for the extended tip cleaning device and also as a support for the air intake tube later to be described.

A generator tube 50 is formed at'its lower end with a tapered shank 52 and a shoulder 54. The tapered shank 52 is adaptedto fri'c tionally engage in a similarly-shaped opening 56 in the upper end of the combination casting 46. A connector nut 58 which has a flange over-lying the shoulder 54 is capable of screw-threaded engagement with the upper end of casting 46. and serves to securely fasten the generator tube 50 into the upper end of the casting 46. Casting 46, asmost clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is formed with an upright arcuate groove 60 in a side wall thereof complementary to the exterior of the air intake tube 62. The air intake tube 62 has a slot 64 in its lower end adapted to overlie the shank of a fastening thumb-screw 66 which is screw-threadedly mounted in a tapped opening 68 in the casting 46. The air intake tube is further formed with a cutaway portion at its lower end to provide proper clearance around the thumb screw 66 for easy manipulation.

The air intake tube supports at its upper end'a cast iron member 64 formed with a transverse head portion 66. A pair of burner tubes 68 are screw-threadedly secured in suitable openings in'the head portion 66 on the opposite sides of the cast iron member 64 and extend downwardly and support at their lower end suitable gas burning mantles 70. The mantles are connected to the gas tubes in any suitable manner, preferably in an easily removable condition so that burned out mantles may be easily and quickly replaced.

A stud 72 extends upwardly from the upper end of the head portion 66 and provides a suitable mounting for the dome 30. A cap portion 74 is screw-threadedly mounted upon the upper end of stud 7 2 securely holding dome 80 in place. It will be understood, however, that in hanging lamps or lanterns a suitable hook member may be secured to the upper end of stud 72. The cast iron member 64 and head portion 66 are formed to provide a chamber therein for the air and fuel to co-mingle, providing in effect a suitable mixing chamber.

A novel shield or reflector member 7 6 is arranged to be supported upon the burner tubes 68 above the mantles 70. This reflector is arranged to reflect radiating heat rays from said mantles downwardly against the generator tube 50. The effect of this is to shorten the time between the prime ignition of the lamp and the time when satisfactory generation takes place in the mixing chamber in member 64 and also, because of the concentration of heat upon the generator tube, serves to make more nearly perfect the mixture of gas and air which ignites and burns in the mantles 7 0.

Referring now to the valve mechanism, a pair of tubular members 78 and 80 extend downwardly into base font 10 from a valve chamber 82 in the valve member 32. Tubular member 78 extends into the air chamber above the fuel 12 and has its lower end sealed and is provided with an orifice 84. The orifice 84 is directly proportionate to the tip orifice 64, for a purpose which will be presently described.

Valve member 32 is provided with a plurality of bores 86, 88, and 92, of a progressively decreasing size, which opens into the chamber 82, the smaller opening 92 being suitably adapted to screw-threadedly engage the end of a valve stem 94. Adjacent the inmate's threaded portion 95 the 'valve stem 94 is formed with frustoconical seat portions 96 and 98 oppositely disposed to seat against shoulders 100 and 102. Valve stem 94extends outwardly beyond'the'colla'r 16, where it is provided with a handle portion 104 rigidly secured thereto. A valve stem housing 106 is positioned in the bore86 witlran-annular flange 108 resting against the shoulder 110. Y

A filler 112 is provided for the annular space between the valve stem 'housing 106 and the bore 88'and may comprise-aifillerof solder or its equivalent which effectively seals 'the oint between the valve stem housing and the valve housing. housing 106 is provided at its exterior end with a screw-threaded portion to engage a packing nut 114, in'whi'cha suitablejpa cking 116 is provided to'effectively seal the valve stem housing at this point against leakage.

'A passageway 118 connects the opening 38 with the interior of the valve stem housing, there being sufiiicient clearance between the inner walls of the valve stem housing'and the valve stem to allow vapor'to pass from the valve chamber 82 to the passageway 1 18]. The screw-threadedportion 95 of valve stem 94 is notched longitudinally to provide a passageway 120 along the side'of the valve stem (Fig. 2a).

Member 46 is formed with a'bore122 ex tending therethrough in which a tip cleaning device is slidably supported. Thistip cleaning device may comprise a block 124 having a transverse slot 5126 in which I an 1 eccentrically mounted stud 128 is positioned. The stud 128'is 'mountedupon an operating rod 130 which extends from the ca'stin"g 46 through a suitable'conne'cto'r 132 an d hasan offset portion 134 formed with a 100p 186.

A suitable packingnut :138:and ip aliing 1 provide a fluid-tight seal aroundithe operating rod 130. The block 124 is provided with atapped opening in its upperend in which a needle supporting member 142 is screwthreadedly mounted, carrying at its upper end a needle 144. The generator tube has a tip 146 screw-threadedly mounted at its upper end which is provided with a small orifice 148 through which the gas vapors passing through valve 32 are adapted to escape. Tip 146 extends through an opening 150 in the cast iron member 64.

The operation of my improved burner is as follows: Assuming that a sufhcient quantity of fuel 12 is contained in the base font 10 and that a quantity of air has been pumped into the space above the fuel which mixes with the air to form a highly volatile mixture and creates the desired pressure. Handle 104 of valve stem 94 is turned in a counter-clockwise direction a quarter turn to bring the passageway 120 in line with the tube 78. As

i the threaded portion 95 of the valve stem is The valve 'stem' aloft-hand thread, the stem will be advanced to the right as shown in Fig. 2a and "the frustoconical surface 98 will be removed from the-shoulder 102, allowing the air gas mixture to pass through orifice'84, tube 78, passageway 120, valve chamber 82, passage- 'way 1 18, and so-onup to the-mantles. Due to the fact th'at thisair gas is ofa highly volatile'oharacter, it may immediately be ignited p a counter-clockwise direction until the frustoconical surface 96 seatsagainst shoulder 2102,

at which time the airgas passageway will be effectively closed and only raw gasoline will be forced up through tube :and on to the generator tube by the pressure in the base'font '10 above the:gasoline. If desired,

the valveseat 9 6 may be left slightly spaced fromthe shoulder 100, allowing aimixture of air gas'and raw gasoline to fiowtothe burners. This will happen even though the passageway 11 20 is not alined with tube 78 due to the-faot thatithe airlmixture will'flow along the threads to the interior of the valve chamber. This may' be done if desiredlfor ashort periodiafter thelmantles have been lit. However, for zla prolonged use, it *has been vifound very satisfactory to close off the air ugas flow entirely and I burn only raw gasoline.

-Eromthe:above description :itwill be apparent that a novel valve arrangement has been :provided wherein'two valve stems and handles are eliminated and the :attendant possibilities of clogging and getting out of orderare'furtherteliminated. it will atonce be apparent that with the improved valve --.shown no .extraun'itsifor preheating the: generator fare required nor is any time or 'ifuel wasted: inpreparing the burners and the:- gen- --er'ator for very prolon'ged lighting operation. To -shut 'ofithe ga-s'flowto the burner itis only *nec'essary to turn the valve stem -94 in -"a-clmikwisedirection, movingthe seat portion 08 against the shoulder 102, which efiecti'vely shuts off botlf air gas and'rawigasoline. The-meansfor cleaning'the orifice 148 in the upper 'end' of the generator 'tip 146 includesthe block 124, to which a needle supporting member is secured, carrying at its upper end aineedle 144. By means of the eccentrically .mounted stud .128 the .block 124 may be 're'ci'procated to pass needle 1'46 hack and-forththrough'the orifice 1:48;open- -At=this time the valve stem 94 is turned in .ing a clogged-or 1 partially-clogged ;passage- I 30 way and allowing the gas to. freely flow through the orifice.

By the use of my novel method of sealing the valve housing 106 in the valve chamber 82, a fluid-tight seal is easily accomplished.

In Fig. 6 1 have illustrated a modified form of valve 32. In this form the chamber 160 is formed by the axially aligned bores 162 and 164. The valve stem 94 is formed with a threaded portion 166 and a valve seating member 168 having the converging frustoconical side walls 170 and 172 to seat respectively upon the shoulders 174 and 176. Shoulder 176 is the inner end of valve housing 17 8 which is generally similar to the valve housing 106, having the threaded end portion to which a packing nut 180 is secured and in which a suitable packing 182 is pro vided. The valve is similarly mounted in the tapped opening 34 in collar 36 secured in the upper surface of the base font 10.

:A pair of tubular members 184 and 186 extend downwardly into the base font 10 from the valve chamber 160, being screw-threadedly mounted in suitable tapped openings in the valve member 32. Tubular member 186 is provided with a small orifice 188 adjacent its lower end. Drilled openings .190 and 192 connect the tubular members with the interior of chamber 160. A passageway 194 extends from one end of the chamber 160to the opening 38 from whence the passageway to themantle is similar to that previously described.

through passage 192, into chamber 160, and

up to the burner through passageway 194. In this position liquid fuel can also pass upwardly through the tubularmember 184 but, due to the higher pressure of the ,air gas, the passage'of any appreciable amount of liquid fuel is prevented. After the burner to such details except in so far asset forth in the accompanying claims. 7

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A vapor burning apparatus comprising a'container having liquid fuel under air pressure, a vapor generator, a valve mecha- Inlsm controlling supply of air and fuel from said container to said generator comprising a housing having a valve chamber therein, a valve stem screw-threadedly mounted in said housing and extending therefrom, a

valve stem housing surrounding said stem and positioned in said chamber, and means for sealing the connection between said valve stem housing and said valve housing comprising -solder poured into an annular space between the interior walls of said chamber and the exterior walls of said valve stem housing.

2. A vapor burning apparatus comprising a container having liquid fuel under air pres- 55111 6 a vaporgenerator, a valve mechanism controlling the supply of air and fuel from said container to said generator comprising a housing having a chamber therein, a valve member movably positioned in said chamber and having a valve stem, a valve stem housing supporting said valve stem and closing said valve chamber, said stem having 'a threaded extension beyond the valve membar; a pair of conduits extending from said container and communicating with said valve chamber, said valve stem extension having a groove in one face thereof for establishing 1 communication between one of said conduits and said valve chamber. a

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 12th day of January, 1931.

GEORGE. LEWIS HOGAN.

has been burning for a short interval aspreviously described, the valve portion 17 2 may be seated upon shoulder 17 6 and effectively close off the passage of air gas, at which time liquid fuel can pass upwardly through member184 and to the burner to be consumed.

YVith the modified device shown, it can be seen'that the amount of air gas supplied to the burner is not so easily regulated as with the device shown in the preferred form.

However, under many conditions, the modified form of valve operates equally as satisfactorily as the preferred form of the device. 

